Tridevi: Creator, Preserver and Destroyer has been inspired by my experience of being a mother to dual heritage children. It takes references from Indian traditions and rituals, and challenges ideas of identity, race and gender through the lens of a British Indian second generation Gujarati woman.
The sculpture explores my experience of motherhood through the lens of my cultural heritage. It symbolises a banyan tree (tree of life), and it explores my roots (past), chaos and challenges of a British Indian mother (present) and the experiences and growth of my twin children (future).
In Hinduism, Tridevi (three goddesses) Sarasvati, Lakshmi and Parvati is the feminine version of the Trimurti, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - Creator, Protector and Destroyer, and the banyan tree is considered a symbolic representation of the Trimurti.
Since having children I have had a huge shift in how I relate to my Gujarati upbringing and the experiences I've had. It’s made me think about what experiences, cultural rituals and traditions I’m sharing with my children and how this will build their own sense of self and identity. For me, it feels like a huge responsibility to share as much as I can about being of Indian origin and part of me is questioning what that actually means for myself. Being a parent has made me want to identify and connect with my Gujarati heritage even more and really connect with the aspects and experiences that positively enriched and impacted my life.
Tridevi : Creator, Preserver and Destroyer, 2023
Sari, cotton, beads, bells, wire, steel, old children’s clothes, high chair, insulation
200cm w 280cm h x 200d
